Vehicle top support and holder



vH..,J.. IVICCAFFERTY.

VEHTCLE' TOP SUPPORT AND HOLDER.

APPLICATIONv FILED MAY 3,1921.

Patented 15H3; 5f, 19t-225.

/f TTOR/VEYS `i9atented Dec. 5, 1922.

HAROLD J'. MCCAFFERTY, OF NEW. kYORK, N. Y.

e @pins vn'nicrr. 'rer Vsurrorvr anni-rennen. y

Application filed May 3,

To all/whom t 'may concern.' n 'f Be it known that l, HAROLD J. MGCAF- rnnrr, a citizen of the United States, kand a resident of the city of New York, rborough of Manhattan, in the county and State of New York, have invented a new and. lfmproved Vehicle Top Support and Holder, vot' which the following is a full, clear, and exact description. V

The present invention relates to new and useful improvements inbodies for vehicles, and it pertains more particularly to brackets tor holding the tops of bodies when the tops are in their folded position.

it is one ot the primary objects of the invention to provide a top holder in which the holder may be removed when not in use.

lt is a further object of the invention to provide a new and novel form ot clamp means for top holders.

t is a still further object ot the inven" tion to provide a device which is simple in construction. and operation, and cheap in cost of manufacture.

With the above and other objects in view, reference is had to the accompanying drawin s, in which- *igure 1 is a sectional view taken on the line 1-1 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 2 is a view in elevation taken at right angles to Fig. 1;

3 is a detail top plan view oi' the bracket;

Fig. a is a detail sectional view taken upon the line 4-4 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a detail perspective view or' the clamping element;

Fig. 6 is a detail perspective view of a slightly modified form of clampingelement.

Referring more particularly to the drawm ings, the reference character 5 designates the side ot the vehicle body and 6 designates the upper beam thereof. Carried by the upper beam 6 on its under face is a bracket 7 and said bracket 7 is provided with a substantially circular opening 8. The reference character 9 designates the bracket and said bracket is provided with a lug 1() having an opening 11. The reference character 12 designates a resilient pin, said pin-being split as at 13 to provide a plurality of resilient fingers 14. This resilient pin 12 is adapted to retain the bracket 9 in position, and said resilient pin 12 passes through the opening 11 of the bracket and into the opening 8 of the bracket 7, where its resili- Serial No. 466,383. y

is providedV on itsrear :tace with an upper shoulder 15. The lower end 16 of thebracket is bent at substantially right angles and the free end kthereotI is provided with a shoulder 17. Formed upon each of the shoulders 15 and 17, are ears 18, the purpose of which will be hereinafter more specifically described. n

The reference character 2O designates a retaining' member, and said member has its upper end bent at substantially right angles as at 21, said upper end being rolled to form a bead 22 adapted for engagement behind the shoulder 15. rlhe lower end of the retaining member is bent to form a bead 23 adapted to engage behind the shoulder 17 at the lower end oi the bracket as more clearly shown in Fig. l. r1i`his retaining member is adapted to lie between the ears 18 ot the shoulders 15 and 17 to prevent accidental displacement thereof. These ears 22 and 23 are extended as indicated by the reference character 25 in order that they may iorm a gripping element by which 'the retaining member may be removed. rlhe retaining member 2O is formed from resilient metal and is provided with inwardly projected shoulders 26, which clamp the outer bows ot the top in order to prevent rattling thereof, the bows of the top being shown in dotted lines. in order to prevent marring` of the finish upon the bows, the retaining member is lined with 'felt or other suitable material 27.

The device operates in the following man ner:

lWhen it is desired to lower the top ot the vehicle. the bracket 9 is positioned as heretofore described. Asthe top is folded back the bows are received by the bracket 9 and when they have been positioned therein, the retaining` member 2O is positioned. by snapping itsrolled ends 22 and 23 into engagement with their respective shoulders 15 and 17. ,l/Vith the parts in this position, the resiliency of the retaining member 2O serves to maintain said retaining member inposition.

In Fig. 6 is shown a slightly modiiied form of the invention, and in this form the retaining' member 30 is ot rigid material and is preferably cast. ln order that resiliency may be obtained to position the retaining` member, tie rolled ends lthereot are carried by the resilient strip 32 and are secured thereto by means of rivets or the like 83. In this form oi' retaining member, the resiliency necessary to snap the same in place is furnished by the resilient strip I Claiml. In a top support and holder7 a rigid member formed on its ends with shoulders, a resilient retaining member having its ends formed with beads adapted for engagement behind said shoulders to retain said resilient Vmember in position, and means for preventing lateral movement of the resilient member relative to the rigid member.

2. In a top support and holder, a rigid supporting member formed on its ends with shoulders, a resilient retaining member, and beads formed on the ends of said resilient retaining member and adapted for engagement behind the shoulders of the rigid member to retain said resilient member in position on the rigid member.

3. In a top support and holder7 a rigid member, a resilient retaining member7 beads formed on the ends of said resilient retaining member and adapted to engage behind the ends of the rigid member to retain the resilient member in position, and means carried by said resilient member for maintaining the top bows in spaced relation.

4:. In a top support and holder, a rigid supporting member, a shoulder formed on each end of said rigid supporting member, side lugsformed on each end of said rigid supporting member, a resilient retaining member, and beads formed on the ends of said resilient retaining member and adapted to engage behind the shoulders formed on the ends of the rigid member to secure the resilient retaining member in position, said resilient retaining member lying between the side lugs of the rigid supporting member.

HAROLD J. li/ICCAFFERTY. 

